Exams are over now :)

My amma was working.  She just couldn’t change her schedule to meet mine. So much of commitments tied her down.

Appa was busy too – his work and his passion for music to run a successful Sabha kept him running short of time.

My patti and thatha went on with their usual things.

There was no seriousness in the house, that I was writing my Board exams. The TV was ON, as usual, LOUD – as the NEWS was the most important program to watch. The Radio was ON, as usual, as everyone loved the songs that were being played.

Guests keep visiting during weekends, as my amma will be home to cook for all of them.

The household functioned as normal as possible, when I had to write my board exams. And I did write…passed with flying colors too

So much has changed now, with the growing number of distractions to cloud the young minds, who need to focus on their studies.

First of all, as a mother of two girls who went through their board exams, I shut off myself from the online world, as my logging in to my accounts was a sure way to distraction for them. These days, kids are distracted so easily and their focus stays for just a short span of time.

Only the NEWS and Sports channels were ON, on TV. Probably the Food shows also were given an OK. But movies, serials and songs which form the major part of the entertainment is proven to be totally hazardous to the studious mind.

Encouraging the girls to take up walking, swimming, playing and things like that, for a break between studies proved to be a great stress buster.

As a parent, I needed to put in some effort, in the form of support system. I didn’t teach my girls anything from their school books or asked them questions like “Did you read this or that”. It was my presence with them, to show “I am with them during this stressful time of their school life” that made a difference.  I am happy I did it and now those stressful times are over and we can look ahead to fun filled holidays. And hopefully I can stay online for more time duration.

So, how have you been doing ???

Apartment blah…blah…

One pup is running around the apartment, with the leash dragging along.

A girl is running behind trying to catch the pup.

“Pussyyyyyyyy, stop”, she shouts.

I am like  Pussy for a Dog ??? OMG !!!

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Whoever said that its the women who gossip ??? I certainly don’t agree to that. Just visit my apartment on a working day / holiday /any day, you’ll find a group of men, mostly retired, meeting in the evenings to gossip about anybody who passes by.

Topics are myriad. It can be as simple as a funny thing on TV or the lady who won the Miss World or the temple priest who passed away or the TN Govt which refuses to issue new ration cards – whatever is the topic of the day, gets analyzed into bits and pieces, resolutions passed, verdicts given – all in a matter of an evening time pass talk !!!

I am also shocked that all these men watch those horrible depressing serials everyday !!!

There are a few men who say their hellos and try to stay out of this gossip mongers group. They just slip out so silently to do better work as a volunteer in the temple.

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Suddenly, I see a rise in the dog population in our apartment, thanks to Blue Cross and their Dog Adopthaton drive. Many children find it fascinating to own a dog, just for the heck of it. They pester their parents and get a dog home, as its free.

And I pray that they take the responsibility of a dog seriously. I see the children taking the dog for a walk and playing with them like a soft toy. And there is no parental supervision. Just because its free doesn’t mean that the dog can be dragged around as they want.

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Early morning prayers for the God marks the beginning of the day, in a spiritual way here, during the month of Margazhi – the amazingly auspicious month for prayers. Read more about it here.

The amazing Venn pongal and the early morning crowd in the temple – all shivering for this Chennai chill, the temple bells – really a serene feeling. Its surely something to feel and experience.

We have a Ganesha temple in the apartment, which is where the action is during these early morning hours. Thankfully, its gossip free during puja times

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There was a New Year Party organised by the Entertainment committee of the Apartment. A Music program and dinner. Not a bad idea. All of us at home went there for an hour or so. And I was shocked to see a boring audience, with no josh to listen to music and neither any enthusiasm to show towards the music troupe. What are these people doing there – sitting in the front rows, with mufflers and shawls around them, showing boring faces on a New Year’s Eve ???

Such lack of participation will certainly disappoint the singers. There were a few youngsters who danced away to glory beyond the last row. But the people in the front – such sucking audience. I would’ve hesitated to sing before them.

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Do you have any blah-blah to share with me ???

WW

Either the hammer is missing or the caption is wrong !!! What do you say ???

Thank you Shashi…

…for once making all the women out there think that there is a possibility of feeling good about one’s own self.

Some people may think this is such an ordinary thing happening in day-to-day life. And it may sound silly too. But there are many women out there, who are put down by their husband or in-laws or official boss in front of others. When these women keep quiet, the others follow suit and there begins a heart-broken woman’s journey to self-destruction.

And this movie, English Vinglish, is a comeback for a woman from her heart-broken journey to a happy one.

People might say that this is kind of a fairy tale or it cannot happen in everyone’s life. But there is this wonderful message which is applicable to all – “Its only you, who is responsible for your happiness” !! How true is that…

And a firm belief in this message can turn around things for you, if there is belief !!!

In many scenes, whenever Shashi is put down for her lack of English knowledge, it’s the husband who is at fault. Because of all the ill-worded comments spoken in front of his family, his daughter also follows suit. This man, who is supposed to be the equal life partner for his wife, never treated her as his equal. Actually not even as a worthy human being.  And when its his responsibility to bring up his children with good basic discipline, he allows his daughter to talk with dis-respect to her mother. He has failed as a husband and as a father.

Many reviews which I had read about this movie states that the second half is the boring English classes, which seems like it’s out of the “Know your English” serials which we have watched !!!

But every scene in the English class, beautifully portrays the building up of self confidence for Shashi and I actually loved it. I still love the way she kept telling “entrepreneur” to herself and doing a jig and being happy !!!

Finally, when Shashi thanks the French man, for helping her to feel good about herself, I totally understood how important is feeling good to her. She had been deprived of that feeling for a long time in her life.

And it is also important for the husband to stand by the woman for all that she is and vice versa, for a great happy family bonding.

PS : My younger daughter wanted a twist in the tale, by Shashi choosing the French man over her husband  But, oh dear !!! Do such things happen in Bollywood movies ???

Serials that kill…

When I was young…

- We were not allowed to say “Aiyoo” at home, as its a word with negative vibrations.

- We were not allowed to hit on our forehead, as it was considered inauspicious. Only people in a death affected house do that.

- We were not allowed to use abusive language or words anytime; especially, during the evening 6 pm, puja slot, as that is the time Goddess Lakshmi visits home. We were taught to say our prayers, practice our Carnatic Music lessons. Fighting or arguing during these times were strictly prohibited.

- Talking during meal times were a big no no. And watching TV was a bigger NO !!! The TV will be switched off during meal times, as Goddess Annapurani’s sacred visit was during those times.

Now, I am not criticizing that my elders followed some superstitions and some odd customs. All the things which we were taught had the strong underlying truth of positive vibes that should surround the home all the time.

The sad part is that the various TV channels which keep telecasting these stupid, silly serials, are killing the values and morals which were taught to us.

Now, the same elders are glued to the TV and keep watching all the abuses being shouted at each other, cursing each other, hitting on the forehead, crying – all the time !! All the values they taught us have lost the significance, when the TV serials shout hoarse on the all the negative vibes stuff.

Where is the justice in watching TV serials ???  Yes, they are bored, after fulfilling their responsibilities as parents or grand parents. Does that mean that all the lessons they taught us can now be flushed down the drain ???

There isn’t anything nice about any serial now a days.  Isn’t there anyone around who can make a good serial and make the people to watch it too ???

I do agree, that there might be some good messages in the serials. After watching 100 episodes of abuses, curses, vengeance, killing, scheming, there is a possibility of 2 episodes of good things or people changing for the good. Is it worth it ???

Lighting the diya, which kills the darkness of ignorance is one wonderful lesson, I learnt as a kid. And I sincerely wish that this TV serial created darkness in the mind to be killed by the diya of knowledge !!!

WW – Wordy Wednesday

Stunning, Ancient, Beautiful Kailasanadhar Temple @ Kanchipuram

I couldn’t stop myself from writing this piece of information about this amazing Kailasanathar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

This temple was built using a sand-stone mixture, during the Pallava regime. But unfortunately for us, none of us have been able to reproduce the same mixture to renovate the temple. All the renovation techniques we know, do not work here.

At the same time, I am awed by the amazing knowledge people during the Pallava regime possessed, to build such a beautiful piece of architecture using sandstone.

Amazing architecture – a glimpse

A place to visit, feel, experience – please do take your time to go there.

Going Wordless after a long time…

Keep looking at the lamps for that blissful feeling inside…

Blah…blah…blah…

I always thought of myself as a quick learner. And especially with gadgets, I assumed that I am more quicker. But all those proud assumptions were put to rest and test, when I struggled with my touch screen phone for the past one week.

My daughter patiently taught me that “I need to understand the touch”…so much for thinking that I learn the gadgets too quickly

Many calls were made and abruptly disconnected in the trial and error learning episodes. It was funny sometimes, irritating sometimes and I cursed myself for not understanding such a simple technique.

Now, that I’ve learnt it well, I smile at myself and tell “Of course, I am a quick learner”

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Enid Blyton always brings in special memories of lovely bedtime, snuggled under a rug with my girls and reading with expression like a dog or a cat or whatever she wrote about.

I was wondering how I miss those times, after my girls graduated to Twilight, Percy Jackson, Nicholas Sparks, Jodi Picoult and stuff like that.

And suddenly yesterday night she called me to read Enid Blyton for her. I totally went Awwwww…

Felt so happy to see the child peeping out of my teen daughter

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Today is my Dad’s bday !!! I just want to record this in my blog.

What would I’ve done if he had been here ??? I really don’t know…of course I would’ve called and wished him. But he’ll be totally busy with the Music Festival Season at his favorite Sabha, where he was the Secretary. Its been always difficult to meet with him and have a get-together on his birthday.

I didn’t miss it then. But I miss seeing him today. Happy Bday to you, Pa…sending you hugs and love from here !!!

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Its exam time which literally means hectic time at home. There is always some kind of hurried state in which we live. I pray that the girls do their exams well, as its crucial 12th Board for the eldest. This is the deciding year and a passport to the Career she wants to take up. God, be with us during this journey !!!

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That’s my part of the blah…blah…blah. What’s yours ???

HAARAM.COM, STOP POSTING OUR POSTS ON YOUR SITE WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION!

A bunch of us bloggers have noticed that you have listed our blogs and have been copying our entire posts on to your site for which we neither signed up nor gave explicit permission. Hence would appreciate if you could stop doing that and take our blogs off your site ASAP.

Consider this a gentle reminder from our end..for now.

We may not be so gentle the next time, for this is a serious issue of copyright violation..

Thank you

UmaS

Survival, Hope, Faith @ LOP

****This is not a movie review, but a movie impact****

Survival, Hope, Faith

These words found a new meaning in my vocabulary with sensational graphics and replaced my coined words from the Oxford.

Of course, I’ve read the book and I don’t think that a better reproduction of the book is possible. When I read the book, it was my own imagination and visualization of the acts and scenes in the book and I was amazed that I did closely match with some visuals of Ang Lee. Especially that particular scene of land where the water changes its nature over night.

I was stumped by many a scenes with graphics and special effects ruling the screen. The one in which the whale jumps out of the water – AMAZING !!!

The blue lighted sea – BEAUTIFUL !!!

The way the camera made us see through Richard Parker’s soul, just through his eyes – TOUCHING !!! Boy, is he a tiger or human – he touched a chord somewhere inside.

Just loved it – every scene, every dialogue !!! In fact, I was totally sinking in the ocean with Pi !!! And every word spoken, every scene enacted reminds me of the book page by page. Such brilliance in direction.

And the impact of the movie is such that, you question your basic principles of God or what He means to you !!! I loved the way Pi changes – scared during the first thunderstorm and brave and courageous during the second thunderstorm – actually trying to face the Super power of the World, through the lightning and stormy waves !!! And what a humbling experience to shout “I surrender” !!!

There is some super power, which gives us the strength and hope to go on with life.  Many moments may not be what we want or what we like. But we still have to face it, as it’s a test of life. And when we go through some really tough situations, there are some positive signs around us to show us the way out. Sometimes we are pushed to do things, which we’ll never think of doing before. That’s another way of strengthening us.

Amazing experience watching LOP !!! And such an amazing life’s lesson, told really well !!!